Grahamstown police officer Constable Mervin Frans was named the Eastern Cape's top cop at a glittering function last weekend and groundsman Boyi Roji, who is deaf and partially sighted, won first prize for SAPS employee living with a disability.
Grahamstown police officer Constable Mervin Frans was named the Eastern Cape's top cop at a glittering function last weekend and groundsman Boyi Roji, who is deaf and partially sighted, won first prize for SAPS employee living with a disability.
Both are stationed at the Joza Police Station. Frans received a Star of the Year award at the South African Police Service Eastern Cape Service Excellence Awards at Hemmingway's in East London on Friday 27 November. He is Visible Policing Employee of the Year for level 5-7.
SAPS provincial communication officer Colonel Sibongile Soci said the objective of the awards is to celebrate and reward excellent work, and exceptional conduct and dedication in all spheres of policing.
Nominations were received from SAPS clusters across the Province. In her welcoming address, Lieutenant-General Celiwe Binta said those acknowledged at the Awards saw the SAPS code of conduct not just as words, but “translate it into behaviours that meet the expectations that communities have of a professional police service”.
Major General Chris Ntantiso, Deputy Provincial Commissioner: Physical Resources Management walked away with the Provincial Commissioner’s Good Ambassador Cup for the pivotal role he played in managing all the support functions required in securing the successful execution of big events such as numerous National and Local Elections, the 2010 Soccer World Cup, the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), the official funerals of Nelson Mandela and Polmusca, among others.
In her keynote address, Eastern Cape MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison, Weziwe Tikana said the fight against crime was everyone's responsibility.
“A policing approach which is based on placing the interests of communities at the centre of everything is required at each and every police station in our Province,” said Tikana.
“This will enable us to find solutions to policing challenges through the collective resources and support from various stakeholders, in order to address the root causes of crime and the challenges that various socio-economic factors pose.”
